First person on Mars is likely to be a woman, NASA says

A top NASA official says the first person on Mars will likely be a woman.

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine was on a radio show recently and said women are at the forefront of the agency's future plans.

Bridenstine didn't identify a specific person.

Bridenstine also responded "absolutely" to a question from a Twitter user who asked whether women will be included in the agency's next trip to the moon.

The first six female astronauts joined NASA in 1978. According to the agency, women currently make up 34 percent of NASA's active astronauts.

NASA will have its first all-female spacewalk at the end of the month.

RELATED: First all-female spacewalk set for March 29

This month three women will take one small step for a woman, one giant leap for womankind

Happy National Women's Month, indeed.